Fading Echoes/Chapter 2
Chapter description :Jayfeather feels something sharp stab him, and he tumbles sideways. He briefly wonders what could've stabbed him, and eventually decides that it was only Mistyfoot's naming ceremony that touched him somehow. With the pain fading, Jayfeather crosses over to check on Poppyfrost's kits. While passing Firestar and Sandstorm, who were sleeping, he briefly notes that they had been night hunting again, while everybody was sleeping. Then Jayfeather feels guilty of trespassing other cat's thoughts, though the temptation was never far away. Then, Graystripe calls out to Blossompaw that she should've been helping, not playing. Briarpaw jeers at Blossompaw, and Jayfeather pictures the scene where Blossompaw had been about to shower a pile of leaves on top of Briarlight when she was caught by Graystripe. Blossompaw apologizes, and Graystripe turns back to his task, which was to repair the dens. Graystripe complains, saying that there were as many holes in the dens than in a rabbit hole, on the other side of the nursery, Berrynose agrees, saying that it was just as bad over on his side. :While Jayfeather was concentrating on the warriors repairing the dens, Cherrykit and Molekit crash into him. Poppyfrost scolds them, telling them to watch where they were going. Molekit begs Jayfeather to watch him to see what he could do, Poppyfrost becomes embarrassed at Molekit's tactless words, but Jayfeather was not offended, instead he prompts Molekit of what he could do. Molekit does a fail pounce and Cherrykit teases him, saying that it was the worst jump ever. Molekit challenges Cherrykit to do it herself, and as Cherrykit does so, a falling leaf brushes her pelt and she skids clumsily to the floor. Molekit starts sneering at Cherrykit that she was scared of a leaf. Poppyfrost interupts, telling Molekit that he should encourage Cherrykit, not tease her. Jayfeather stops watching the kids and asks Poppyfrost if she was feeling okay, and tells her that the kits were doing well. Graystripe suddenly tells Jayfeather to look out as Molekit and Cherrykit race past Jayfeather, and Jayfeather wonders why she cats wanted to be queens in the first place, then he checks on Poppyfrost, asking her if she was feeling okay, was she eating enough and so on, Poppyfrost told him she was fine, and Jayfeather scents the wet moss that Berrynose gave her, and he is reassured that Poppyfrost's fears that Berrynose still loved Honeyfern had disappeared. Right at that moment, Leafpool and Squirrelflight return from their hunting patrol, and Jayfeather feels bitter at the she-cats' presence, briefly noting that he had no mother at all. :After a while, the second hunting patrol returns and drops their fresh kill, however Jayfeather scents an unexpected tang of RiverClan. Ferncloud becomes alert, and yowls an alarm to the Clan. Mistyfoot and Mothwing approach, and Firestar asks them what happened. Mistyfoot glumly replies that Leopardstar had died, at once Firestar's mind starts churning with memories, and Jayfeather feels Firestar's grief sharply. :Mothwing tells everyone that Mistystar just received her nine lives, and everyone echoes her new name respectfully. Mistystar admits that greenleaf was harsh to RiverClan when asked how they were, and she tells them that they lost three elders to hunger and thirst. Firestar offers Mistystar some strengthening herbs, and as Mistystar accepts them, Jayfeather wondered if Leopardstar would've accepted help as easily. Jayfeather leads Mothwing to pick up the herbs, and when he tries to slip in her mind, he finds that she is thinking about nothing but her sore paw pads. Jayfeather offers to put some ointment on her pads, but she refuses, and the medicine cats start discussing about herb stuff. When Jayfeather asks Mothwing of how the leadership ceremony went, Mothwing replies without giving anything away. Jayfeather slips into her mind and finds himself at the Moonpool with Mothwing watching Mistystar. :Mothwing was watching as Mistystar flinched and yowled, and wondered if StarClan were actually real for a heartbeat, but then she denied it, leaving Jayfetaher frustrated that Mothwing could be so stubborn. Suddenly Mistystar wakes up, and exclaims to Mothwing where she was, and Mothwing steadily replies that she does not have the faith in StarClan as her Clanmates have. Mistystar is shocked, but then eventually dips her head and gives in. Jayfeather wakes up, and Mothwing tells Jayfeather that she knew he knew she had no connection with StarClan, and tells him that that didn't make her less of a medicine cat. The chapter ends as Jayfeather thinks of what a wise choice StarClan made, choosing Mothwing as RiverClan's medicine cat, and he dips his head to her, just like what Mistystar had done. Characters Major *Mothwing }} Minor *Molekit *Cherrykit *Firestar *Sandstorm *Graystripe *Blossompaw *Briarpaw *Berrynose *Leafpool *Squirrelflight *Ferncloud *Mistystar *Leopardstar *Longtail *Mousefur *Sorreltail *Cloudtail *Brightheart *Whitewing *Thornclaw *Dustpelt }} Mentioned *Purdy *Honeyfern *Crowfeather *Brambleclaw *Hollyleaf *Lionblaze *Blackclaw *Voletooth *Dawnflower }} Notes and references Category:Omen of the Stars arc Category:Chapter subpages Category:Fading Echoes